Washington's special-design license plates, ranked by popularity

1 school's plates leaves all others in the dust

Lynsi Burton
| on January 25, 2018

Photo: GENNA MARTIN/SEATTLEPI.COM

Image 1 of 47

We pulled data from the state Department of Licensing to find out how many of each special-design license plate have been issued to Washington's drivers. One plate pulled way ahead of the rest, while we've

We pulled data from the state Department of Licensing to find out how many of each special-design license plate have been issued to Washington's drivers. One plate pulled way ahead of the rest, while we've never heard of some of the plates that lag behind.

Photo: DOL

Image 2 of 47

46. Tennis:

36 plates

Photo: DOL

Image 3 of 47

T-44. Fred Hutchinson:

77

Photo: DOL

Image 4 of 47

44. Future Farmers of America:

77

Photo: DOL

Image 5 of 47

43. The Evergreen State College:

144

Photo: DOL

Image 6 of 47

42. Wrestling:

161

Photo: DOL

Image 7 of 47

41. 4-H:

209

Photo: DOL

Image 8 of 47

40. Seattle University:

254

Photo: DOL

Image 9 of 47

39. National Guard:

403

Photo: DOL

Image 10 of 47

38. Breast cancer:

481

Photo: DOL

Image 11 of 47

37. Gold Star:

513

Photo: DOL

Image 12 of 47

36. Aviation:

588

Photo: DOL

Image 13 of 47

35. Square dancing:

644

Photo: DOL

Image 14 of 47

34. Central Washington University:

686

Photo: DOL

Image 15 of 47

33. State flower:

703

Photo: DOL

Image 16 of 47

32. Western Washington University:

815

Photo: DOL

Image 17 of 47

31. Coast Guard:

906

Photo: DOL

Image 18 of 47

30. Washington wildlife (fish):

1,026

Photo: DOL

Image 19 of 47

29. Helping Kids Speak (Freemasons):

1,083

Photo: DOL

Image 20 of 47

28. Keep Kids Safe:

1,115

Photo: DOL

Image 21 of 47

27. Washington's wildlife collection (deer):

1,254

Photo: DOL

Image 22 of 47

26. Ski and Ride Washington:

1,320

Photo: DOL

Image 23 of 47

25. Volunteer firefighter:

1,325

Photo: DOL

Image 24 of 47

24. Eastern Washington University:

1,505

Photo: DOL

Image 25 of 47

23. Gonzaga University:

1,635

Photo: DOL

Image 26 of 47

22. Seattle Mariners stadium:

1,793

Photo: DOL

Image 27 of 47

21. We Love Our Pets:

1,999

Photo: DOL

Image 28 of 47

20. Music Matters:

2,130

Photo: DOL

Image 29 of 47

19. Seattle Sounders FC:

2,210

Photo: DOL

Image 30 of 47

18. Washington's wildlife collection (bear):

2,779

Photo: DOL

Image 31 of 47

17. Air Force:

3,374

Photo: DOL

Image 32 of 47

16. Purple Heart:

3,384

Photo: DOL

Image 33 of 47

15. Washington's Lighthouses:

3,488

Photo: DOL

Image 34 of 47

14. Share the Road:

3,663

Photo: DOL

Image 35 of 47

13. Washington's wildlife collection (elk):

3,973

Photo: DOL

Image 36 of 47

12. Navy:

4,073

Photo: DOL

Image 37 of 47

11. Marine Corps:

4,265

Photo: DOL

Image 38 of 47

10. Washington state parks:

4,763

Photo: DOL

Image 39 of 47

9. Professional firefighter:

4,767

Photo: DOL

Image 40 of 47

8. Endangered wildlife:

5,240

Photo: DOL

Image 41 of 47

7. Wild on Washington:

5,576

Photo: DOL

Image 42 of 47

6. Army:

6,538

Photo: DOL

Image 43 of 47

5. Washington's national park fund:

6,850

Photo: DOL

Image 44 of 47

4. University of Washington:

11,127

Photo: DOL

Image 45 of 47

3. Law enforcement memorial:

11,755

Photo: DOL

Image 46 of 47

2. Seattle Seahawks:

18,661

Photo: DOL

Image 47 of 47

1. Washington State University:

23,700

(Go Cougs.)

Washingtonians love their pretty license plates that allow them to show off their personalities and hobbies while donating to their favorite causes.

We pulled the state Department of License data on how many of each "special design" plate have registered to drivers. The agency updated the list last week.

Most plates are attached to a non-profit cause that benefits when someone upgrades to a special plate. Learn more about that here.

Some plates we'd never heard of (did you know that there are plates dedicated to tennis court construction and college wrestling?). One thing is for sure: Here, we love military veterans, our sports teams and our public universities.

And one vivid plate has sold more than twice the number of its, let's say, most fierce competition.